03 May,2011 06:09 AM IST | | Kaumudi Gurjar
12 held, but accused councillor absconding
Amit Gavali, an NCP member of the Lonavla council, has been booked by the police in the hill station along with 12 people on charges of dacoity after they allegedly attempted to grab a prime property by force.
Hot property:The Ahuja Holiday Home that Amit Gavali allegedly
wanted to take over. Pic/Vishal K
While Gavali was said to be absconding, the Lonavla police arrested 12 people for forcibly entering the Ahuja Holiday Home owned by Nadakishor Khandelwal and threatening him with a knife to get him to vacate the property. The incident took place around 12.30 pm on Sunday in the plush Raiwood area, which is known for its highly priced bungalows.u00a0
The men allegedly told Khandelwal Gavali wanted to take over the bungalow. The 12 people allegedly broke Khandelwal's belongings and took away things worth Rs 25,000 in two cars, one of which was identified as an Indica.
Externed
Claiming the dacoity case was most likely a plot of the police to implicate Gavali in another case, NCP leaders in Lonavala said the party was not thinking of taking action against him. NCP Lonavala city president Nitin Shaha said, "We will not take action against Gavali unless his involvement is proved. It is important to know that the earlier case is going on against him and he was externed from city limits.
So the police version in this fresh case claiming that he was present at the spot seems controversial." Gavali was earlier arrested in connection with the murder of Lonavla Municipal Council president Bhupendra alias Raju Chaudhari in May 2009. Gavali was later externed from city limits.
